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The fifth vow of sthua parigraha parimāņa vrata or aparigraha anuvrata clearly suggests a durable solution to economic imbalances. This is the principle of limiting one's possessions (parimita-parigraha) and limiting one's desires (iccha- parimāņa).
This is not a rigorous principle of self-control of a recluse or an ascetic whose life is completely delinked from society. It is a realistic, rational principle with its solid foundation in the social system. This has individual moral growth as its basis with direct relevance to society. Its main thrust is one society consisting of balanced individuals.
The term aparigraha is just the opposite of parigraha which means 'to amass', 'to accumulate', 'to compile', 'to seize', 'to hold', and to receive or accept gifts'. It is defined as that which entangles one from all sides. (Pariggahaņam Parigraha) Parigraha has two implications according to Jaina (i) Bāhya (outer) meaning worldly possessions (ii) Abhyantara (inner) meaning attachment, aśakti and mūrcchā. Both these implications together refer to an attitude of mind towards material objects. These are not two kind of parigraha but are actually two components of parigraha. Parigraha thus means not only possessions but also possessiveness. The concept of Bāhya (outer) and Abhyantara (inner) are very exhaustive when we see the different classifications of parigraha in the Jaina texts. The class of Bāhya parigraha and its subclasses include jada parigraha (implying objects such as clothes, house and money etc.) and cetana parigraha (implying living beings such as wife, children and servants etc.) and the class of Ābhyantara parigraha includes abstract realities or emotions such as wrong notions, laughter, affilications, fear and disgust etc. they really give very extensive meaning to possessions and possessiveness ranging from gross to very subtle objects of desires that need to be curbed.
Thus a complete view of parigraha is required for fighting the menace of present day problem. The term 'icchā' is also close to parigraha meaning desire to possess. This is perhaps a stage even prior to 'mūrchā' since iccha materializes in possession and possessions then propel or drive the individual to attachment or mūrcchā. Thus, aparigraha would logically imply amūrcchā, parigraha-parimāņa, parimita-parimāņa and icchā-parimāņa. Jaina texts give equal emphasis to both the components. At some place mūrcchā'is defined
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0
